Adrian Peterson vs. Le'Veon Bell: Fight Odds, Live Stream, Predictions
Free-agent NFL running backs Adrian Peterson and Le'Veon Bell haven't had to go head-to-head on the field during their football careers, but there will be no avoiding each other in the boxing ring when they square off in an exhibition match Saturday night at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles.
The pair are fighting on the undercard of the Social Gloves event headlined by Youtubers Austin McBroom and AnEsonGib. The five-bout card, which also features former Los Angeles Laker Nick Young taking on Blueface, starts at 11 p.m. ET and can be live-streamed on SocialGloves.tv or FITE.tv for $39.99.
Peterson, 37, and Bell, 30, are both making their boxing debuts. They're following in the footsteps of fellow NFL stars like Frank Gore and Chad Johnson by venturing into the squared circle.
Because the match is an exhibition and neither fighter has a resume to speak of (outside of their exploits on the gridiron), it can be hard to judge a favorite in this one. DraftKings Sportsbook tweeted out some hypothetical odds when the fight was announced, putting Bell at -155 and Peterson at +125.
Bell would seem to be the logical bet considering he's seven years younger than his opponent. Boxing is about as taxing as it gets on the lungs and legs, so Bell's youth may help him if the fight goes more than a couple of rounds.
Peterson might have an advantage in the power department. He looked chiseled at the weigh-in on Friday, tipping the scales at 218 pounds, per TMZ. Bell weighed in at just 204 pounds. Peterson can try to use that size to his advantage, leaning on Bell and sapping his strength or loading up on power shots if he thinks his counterpart isn't going to have the chin to withstand it.
The fight is billed as the "Battle of the Running Backs," but there seems to be a healthy amount of respect between the two.
“I don’t have any animosity against him or anything like that,” Peterson told the AP Pro Football podcast (via the Associated Press). “But, obviously, getting in the ring, up until that last second runs off, it’s going to be me and you. I got nothing but respect for him.”
Peterson hasn't ruled out trading the boxing gloves right back for a helmet and shoulder pads. The seven-time Pro Bowler and 2012 league MVP played in four games last year with Tennessee and Seattle. He told the AP joining a contender would be "the ideal scenario" as he chases that elusive Super Bowl ring.
Bell's football career is also on hold for now. He played in eight games last year with Baltimore and Tampa Bay, but he didn't latch on with a team in the offseason. He's focused on the task in front of him, noting Peterson can't ever be taken lightly, even in a new sport.
“I’ve just been doing a lot of, obviously, running, a lot of rounds on the mitts, a lot of sparring," Bell said, per Bad Left Hook's Wil Esco.
"I understand AP [is] one of those guys—look at his football career—he’s one of those guys that always come in shape, he’s always in better shape than everybody else, he works hard. So I just tried my best to meet that level, try to exceed that level if I can.”
The focus on conditioning is key, as that is often the determining factor in these exhibition fights. Peterson may be older than Bell, but he looked to be in great shape on Friday. Look for him to impress on Saturday in the exhibition.
